強震引發婚姻思考 日本流行離婚典禮
Ceremonies to celebrate divorces have gained momentum in Japan after the massive March earthquake and tsunami, followed by an ongoing nuclear crisis, caused unhappy couples to reassess their lives.
日本自今年三月發生強震和海嘯以來，舉辦離婚典禮的人數激增。這些災難以及隨後發生的持續性核危機促使生活原本不幸福的夫婦開始重新審視生活。
The ceremony to mark a couple's transition to being single again costs 55,000 yen ($690), includes a buffet meal and culminates with the ritual smashing of their wedding rings with a gavel.
離婚典禮花費爲5.5萬日元（690美元），用來慶祝雙方重返單身，包括一頓自助餐。夫婦一起手握木槌、砸毀婚戒時，離婚典禮達到高潮。
Tomoharu Saito, who took part in Tokyo with his wife Miki days before they were set to file for divorce, said crushing the rings felt cathartic.
在離婚登記幾天前，齋藤友治和妻子美樹在東京舉辦了離婚典禮。他說，砸毀婚戒使情感得到了宣泄。
"I did not think the ring could be crushed that easily, but it did," he said. "I was shocked but at the same time, I feel it helped me make a clean break."
他說：“我原本覺得婚戒不容易被打碎，但其實不然。我很吃驚，但同時也相信這能夠讓我重獲新生。”
The ceremony also includes a "divorce dress," and Miki Saito chose a daisy-yellow summer dress. In Japan, daisies are believed to symbolize an "amicable or platonicrelationship."
該典禮還要求身着“離婚禮服”，齋藤美樹挑選了一件菊花黃色的夏裙。雛菊在日本象徵着“友好的情誼，或者柏拉圖式的理想關係”。
Designer Akiue Go said he created the dress with emphasis on the back for a specific reason. "I designed this dress so the woman's back looks the most beautiful when she turns around and walks away," he said.
禮服設計者伍秋植稱，他將禮服背面作爲設計重點，有特別的用意。他說：“我如此設計這條裙子，爲的是讓女人轉身離去時留下最美的背影。”
Hiroki Terai, a 31-year-old former salesman, spotted a gap in the market and pioneered the divorce ceremony two years ago. Since then, he's celebrated more than 80 breakups.
31歲的寺井廣樹曾經是一名推銷員，他在兩年前發現了這一市場空白，開創了離婚典禮。至今，他已爲80多對夫婦舉辦了離婚典禮。
Requests for the ceremony have tripled since the March 11 9.0 magnitude quake set off a massive tsunami.
自3月11日日本發生9級大地震及海嘯以來，離婚典禮的申辦量達到原來的三倍。
"The March 11 disaster made many couples rethink their priorities. Some found that work was a higher priority to them than family, and this helped people gain the confidence to decide on a divorce," Terai said.
寺井廣樹說：“3 11大地震讓許多夫婦重新審視生活的重心。一些人認爲工作比家庭更重要，這堅定了他們離婚的信心。
"Those who want an amicable divorce are doing these ceremonies."
“想要和平分手的人都舉行這種離婚典禮。”
Miki Saito said the earthquake made her realize she wanted to be closer to her parents, who live in northeastern Japan in one of the areas badly affected by the quake.
齋藤美治說，地震的發生讓她想要離父母近一些。她的父母住在日本東北部，那裏是受災最嚴重的地區之一。
"After the quake, my desire to go back and live with my parents grew stronger," she said.
她說，“地震發生後，我想要回去跟父母同住的願望更強烈了”。
Guest Hiroko Tada was present for both the beginning and the end of the Saitos' marriage. "I'd say congratulations to the amicabledivorce," she said. "I could have never imagined this day would come because I was at their wedding, but since they did break up, this is one of the best ways to do it."
嘉賓寺廣樹見證了齋藤友治的結婚典禮和離婚典禮。她說，“我想祝賀他們能夠和平分手。我從來沒有想過會有這一天，因爲當初我參加了他們的婚禮。但既然他們決定離婚，能舉行離婚典禮最好不過了”。
